August 15, 2024
Dear High School ELA Teachers,
This email contains information about the following:
- District Day Follow-Up
- Slides and Survey
- Outline of Kelly Gallagher’s Presentation and Books he mentions
- Our District “Stats” from our Intro Activity
- MAP Assessment Resources in HS ELA Canvas Sandbox
- NCTE Conference Scholarship
- Sharing Resources
- 10-Things Personal Essay from Jason Reynolds
- Interesting Articles to use in class
- Scribble (Quick writes) Sparks – Central Utah Writing Project
- Professional Learning Opportunities
- For the Love of Reading Conference
- M.Ed. in Literacy Education
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District Day Follow-Up
Thank you so much for your participation and enthusiasm at District Day yesterday. I hope you left feeling inspired and ready to try something new this year. Here is the link to the Slides for the day. If you did not complete the survey at the end of the day, please do so. Here is the Survey Link.
I appreciate everyone being flexible with the room arrangements during Team Time. I know the space wasn’t ideal and want you to know that during District Collaboration this year, we will have better spaces, where individual grade-level teams will be able to meet in a classroom.
For those of you who were not able to see Kelly speak, I wrote a short outline based on my notes of his key points. Below is a list of books Kelly referenced in his presentation, if you would like to check them out.
Outline of Kelly’s Presentation
- Everyday practice is what is going to help our students the most.
- His daily lessons include (or tries to include):
- Read: book talks, independent reading, time to confer with students
- Write: in notebooks, next to poetry, articles, revising that writing, teacher writes and revises with students, models metacognition
- Study: mini-lesson on skill or text study – this corresponds to our unit of study focus, students often collaborate on understandings in small groups and then as whole class
- Create: time to write and confer with writers (either the teacher or other students)
- Share: closing class with beautiful words (student writing or published authors) or debrief the work they did that day (self-reflection)
- Students cannot write too much
- We need to work on writing to discover, writing to think, writing to learn
- Students are not prepared for college writing
- What makes kids better writers?
- Volume
- write daily and do daily flash revisions
- 10 minutes, 1 page with something that will provoke students
- Choice
- Student choice motivates students to write more
- Have students choose 1 or 10 quick writes for you to read
- Modeling
- Watch – Notice and Name writer moves – read like writers
- Analyze – What did the author do? Why? Which is better?
- Teach students to do a “Drone View” of an essay
- Imitate – Write like writers
- Students ask how long something needs to be because they don’t know what it looks like or how to do it
- Feedback
- Feedback is not grading; Feedback is coaching
- Feedback should be targeted and student-directed – have writers decide what they would like feedback on
- Peer revisions – change to students giving other students advice
- Grading
- Grading harms the development of writers. Studies show that when students know they are being graded on writing, they are less likes to take risks.
- Rubrics – single-point rubrics that focus on excellence
- Student reflection is essential to learning and becoming a better writer
Books Kelly Recommended in his Presentation
- Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention — And How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari
- Reader Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World by Maryanne Wolf
- Why They Can’t Write: Killing the Five Paragraph Essay and Other Necessities by John Warner
- Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning (and What to Do Instead) by Alfie Kohn
- In the Middle: A Lifetime of Learning About Writing, Reading, and Adolescents by Nancy Atwell
- How Writing Shapes Thinking: A Study of Teaching and Learning by Judith A. Langer, Arthur N. Applebee
- Writing Instruction That Works: Proven Methods for Middle and High School Classrooms by Arthur N. Applebee, Judith A. Langer
- Rethinking Rubrics in Writing Assessment by Maja Wilson
- Reimagining Writing Assessment: From Scales to Stories by Maja Wilson
- Point-Less: An English Teacher’s Guide to More Meaningful Grading by Sarah M. Zerwin
- Reviving The Essay: How To Teach Structure Without Formula by Gretchen Bernabei
Here are the Stats from our Intro Activity
Years Taught:
High School: 997 years
Middle School: 529 years
Total: 1526 years
And here is a word cloud of our strengths – it’s no surprise experience is #1
MAP Assessment Resources
To help consolidate all of the resources for the MAP Assessment that have been shared or emailed out, I added them to our High School ELA Sandbox (if you haven’t joined – click here) called “Assessments”. To this page I am going to add the resources I’ve shared as well as short how-to’s for known snafu’s during testing. I will have that completed by the end of the day today.
Last year, I also got feedback that teachers would like supports for helping students with the Aspire and ACT. I will be adding resources this fall. I also got feedback that teachers would like resources on best practices with assessments and designing assessments. Those sections will be added as well in the coming months.
NCTE Conference Scholarship
If you would like to attend the NCTE Conference, NCTE does give out scholarships each year. This year it is in Boston, November 21-24. Information listed HERE.
Sharing Resources
I want to share more resources with you as I find them. If you find good things, please share them with me so I can pass them along. I will also be adding these into the High School ELA Sandbox (if you haven’t joined – click here). I am going to make a module called Shared Resources from the Newsletter.
- Personal Essay – start the year with students writing a list of 10 Things they have been meaning to say. Use this essay from Jason Reynolds, “Ten Things I’ve Been Meaning to Say to You,” as a model text. What are they passionate about? What do they want to make sure someone knows – but they choose the audience.
- Interesting Articles I’ve read recently or seen that would make a good Article of the Week or model text
- The Central Utah Writing Project has shared Scribble Sparks – short texts to get kids writing. These are perfect for quick writes.
Professional Learning Opportunities
- For the Love of Reading Conference (organized by UVU). October 28-29 | Provo Marriott
- Master’s of Education (M.Ed) in Literacy Education and Secondary Literacy Interventionist Endorsement – see flyer
August 12, 2024 - Welcome Back!
Dear High School English Teachers!
This email contains information about:
- District Day – information
- MAP testing – information
Welcome Back!
What good books did you read this summer that I need to add to my ever-growing To Be Read list? One book I read that has stuck with me is Where Wolves Don’t Dieby Anton Treuer.
District Day
Please join us on Wednesday, August 14th from 8-12 at the District Office Peaks Center, 9361 S. 300 E., Sandy, Utah. If there are not parking spaces, please park at Mount Jordan Middle School across the street.
We are excited to announce that Kelly Gallagher will be joining via Zoom to speak to us. Yay!
Here is a rough agenda:
- Sign in and Review District Updates (8-8:30)
- Dig into the guides – lots of updates and resources added to support you (8:30 – 9:15)
- Break to set up Zoom
- Kelly Gallagher (9:30 – 10:30)
- Debrief (10:30-45)
- Break to divide the Peaks center into rooms
- Grade level PLC Time (11 – 12:00)
Can’t wait to see you there!
MAP Testing
Later today I will be forwarding an email from the Assessment department with MAP (Reading Inventory replacement) information and resources. The district has decided that only 9th and 10th grade students and those in Literacy Intervention classes will be assessed in MAP Reading. So, if you do not teach any of these classes, you do not need to worry about giving the MAP Assessment.
The email will have a lot of videos and training materials. (This is something you could count toward your 32 hours and get paid for.) Please review and if you would like me to come and meet with the 9th and 10th grade teachers in person to answer any questions, please reach out.
August 9, 2024
Dear High School English Teachers,
Last Friday, USBE released the list of titles that are to be removed from public schools based on §53G-10-103.
Please check the list below immediately and remove any copies from your classroom libraries or other areas in your classroom spaces accessible to students. Teacher librarians have been contacted by their district specialist and are removing any copies from library shelves, bookrooms, and other library spaces accessible to students.
If there are copies of these titles in classroom libraries, it would be best to hold the copy off campus. There is an appeals process at the state level; however, at this time we are unaware of any appeals that have been filed. If the book is successfully appealed and reinstated it will be removed from the master list linked below.
List of titles to be removed from Utah public schools (08/02/24) This list, along with additional resources, can be found on the USBE library media website under the “Sensitive Materials” tab. It will be updated regularly, and you will be alerted about any additional titles that meet the statewide threshold. I will also keep a link to this list on the High School ELA Website: https://canyonsdistrict.org/hs_ela
There will be additional communication about this process moving forward. Please reach out with questions or concerns.
April 11, 2024 Newsletter
This email contains information about the following:
- Spring RI Testing Window (action)
- April 26th Early Out (information)
- Book Club / Literature Circle Resources (information)
- Multigenre Writing Resources (reminder)
- Newsela Update (information)
- Writing Tools Survey from USBE (information)
- Professional Development Opportunities (opportunities)
- Spring RI Testing Window – April 22 – May 15
- The Reading Inventory is not a timed exam but does adapt to student responses. This may mean that some students finish in 20 minutes, while other students take much longer. Students who are in Literacy (Reading) or ELD should take the RI in those classes, rather than ELA.
- Attached are the Reading Inventory Student Directions to read for students before testing
- Reading Inventory Accommodations are also attached.
- April 26th District-wide Early Out PLCs
- We will be meeting at Hillcrest High School at 1:40 pm in the Presentation room. Please bring your printed instructional guides. Our new Content Leads (Yay! We have funding for them!) will be leading discussions in your grade level teams.
- Book Club / Literature Circle Resources
- I love seeing so many of our teachers embracing Books Clubs / Literature Circles / Student Choice Reading. Here are some resources that I’ve shared with others if you are trying this for the first time.
- If you haven’t watched the Student Choice Reading Video I shared last month – please check it out. And if you have questions, please reach out to the Alta teachers in the video!
- Attached are some chapters from books that can help with Book Clubs (see attached file)
- Multigenre Writing Supports
- I was recently helping a teacher with the multigenre writing unit and reminded them that Chapter 9 in 180 Days (Gallagher and Kittle) is all about a multigenre unit. See table of content below. If you haven’t read it, I recommend checking it out. I also encourage you to watch the videos that are included. Instructions for accessing the videos are on page xi in the book. If you did not receive a book because you were not in the district in August of 2022, please let me know and I will order you a book.
- Newsela Update
- Unfortunately, it has been decided that our Newsela licenses will not be renewed due to funding. You will have access to the Newsela Pro license until the end of June 30th to gather resources you may want to use in the future.
- Writing Tool Survey
- Writing Tools and Supports – USBE is looking to advance support for P-12 classroom educators regarding the tools and resources to foster evidence-based writing instruction, assessment, and feedback. Please respond by May 1, 2024.
- Professional Development Opportunities
- EdCamp: AI for Educators – Learn with Emma Moss and Jonathan Stewart as they share how to incorporate AI tools into your instruction.
- Conversations with Connection and Comprehension: A Read-U Workshop – Learn about the University of Utah’s READ-U program and the standards-based units available for school use.
- 2024 Belfer National Conference for Educators Registration is now open for the 2024 Belfer National Conference for Educators, taking place June 24–26. At this free, virtual professional learning conference, educators will explore the latest practices in teaching about the Holocaust.
- For the Love of Reading Scholarship – UVU’s For the Love of Reading Conference provides an opportunity for teachers, parents, librarians and others to discuss and share the best in books, teaching, and innovations for changing lives through literacy. Applications, like taxes, are due April 15th.
March 18, 2024
Professional Learning Opportunities
- Student Choice Reading – Successes from Alta High School (personal learning)
Join our ELA teachers as they explain the why, how, and benefits of giving students time to read books of their own choosing in class.
- Building Student Self-Efficacy in Writing – Podcast and Bite-sized PD (personal learning)
Lesli Morris and Brianne Gee co-taught together to build student self-efficacy in writing. They were able to share this presentation at UCTE in February 2024.
- Collaborative Crafting (scroll down)
Join fellow educators, Stephanie Nasser and Michelle Hall, as we dive into the fifth pillar of the Secondary Writing Framework, Teach Critical Skills, Processes, and Knowledge, in this series we call Collaborative Crafting.
Learn with Emma Moss and Jonathan Stewart as they share the latest on how to effectively incorporate AI tools into your instruction.
Resources to support ML Students
- Check out the ML Team’s webpage – they have a lot of resources for teachers
- ML Newsletter (resource)
- Translate or Not? Guide for when to translate. This is a Canva resource – please use link in email (it doesn’t load on the district website).
Multigenre Writing
Quarter 4 is all about multigenre writing. This is a new type of writing in our instructional guides. I wanted to share some resources with you that may be helpful.
- Weaving the Multigenre Web Unit Plan – Read, Write, Think (NCTE)
- Having My Say: A Multigenre Autobiography Project – Read, Write, Think (NCTE)
Upcoming RI Testing Window – April 22 – May 17
Student Podcast Challenge – sponsored by NPR (student opportunity)
NPR is inviting students around the country to create a podcast and compete for a chance to win a grand prize and have their work featured on NPR. Check out the official rules, submission guidelines and more by selecting the image above. Submissions are due April 2024.
30 Days of Writing Prompts
Do you want to use the prompts from this year’s 30-Day Writing Community with your students? Feel free to copy, modify, and use any of the invitations which can be accessed here.
January 26 - Early Out
January 26th – 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm – Hillcrest High School – Presentation Room – A115
December 14, 2023 Email
This email contains the following:
- 30 Days of Writing (opportunity)
- Central Utah Writing Project Summer Institute (opportunity)
- Jack Hazard Fellowships: $5,000 Summer Awards to Creative Writers Who Teach High School (Opportunity)
- Novel Database Updates (information)
- Short Stories (information)
- Bite-sized PDs and Upcoming Webinars (opportunities)
- RI Reminder (action requested)
- Poem: [little tree] by E. E. Cummings (for fun)
30 Days of Writing
Scott has partnered with the state ELA Specialist to do 30 Days of Writing state-wide. Join us January 8 – February 6, 2024, as we take a few minutes every day to write for ourselves. (The prompts can also be great starters to use with our students.) See the flyer attached and Sign Up Here.
Central Utah Writing Project Summer Institute
The absolute best personal and professional development I have ever participated in was the Central Utah Writing Project Summer Institute. It filled my bucket as a professional, spoke to my soul as a writer, and helped me become a better teacher. I can’t say enough good things about it. If you would like to apply to become a CUWP fellow, the deadline for applications is January 31, 2024. If you would like to learn more, please see the attached flyer or you can email me and we can chat about it.
Jack Hazard Fellowships: $5,000 Summer Awards to Creative Writers Who Teach High School
Are you working on a memoir, work of fiction, or creative non-fiction? You could receive one of the Jack Hazard Fellowships from the New Literacy Project to support creative writers who teach. The deadline is January 4, 2024.
Novel Database Updates
The novel approval committee will meet again in January. If you would like to submit a novel for approval, please do so by January 19th.
The following novels now have updated applications:
- The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
- Beowulf
Short Stories
Recently, we have had teachers report that more and more students are reading the short stories that high school teachers are teaching in their middle school classes. Short stories are not approved or leveled at the district level. However, to hopefully help reduce the number of short stories being read across levels, Scott and I will be creating a list of short stories in the middle school and high school textbooks and asking that teachers don’t teach across levels (middle / high). I will also be curating short story collections to support the high school teachers in finding additional short story texts. Look for more on that in January. In the Canyons High School ELA Sandbox canvas course, I will be adding short story resources specifically. If you have great short stories that you teach, please share them with me.
Bite-sized PDs and Upcoming Webinars
Here are a few opportunities you might be interested in:
- How to Support Your ML Students with Whole Class Novels (Oct. 18th)
- How to Scaffold and Modify Assignments for ML Students (Nov 15th)
- Collaborative Crafting Part 1 Who’s your Audience (Nov 30th)
- Collaborative Crafting Part 2 What Do You Want to Say? (Dec 6th)
Webinars
- Is It Legit? (Dec 14th) News Literacy Project and USBE – All about credible sources
- Developing Deep Knowledge with Complex Texts and Tasks (Jan 17th) – USBE series, Section 4
Reading Inventory Reminder
I know that HMH went down today and they are working on it. The window for giving the Reading Inventory closes January 11th. Please try to have everyone tested by this date. The principals, schools, and BLTs use this data to help make decisions and guide the school-wide goals. And I will use the mid-year data to suggest students who could benefit from a reading intervention course.
October 27, 2023 Email
This email contains information about the following:
- Novel Approval Updates
- USBE Webinar Series information
- Podcast – Writing as Gate-Opening
- AI Tool for Teachers – Magic School
- December RI Window
- Out of the Office – November 14th
Novel Approval Updates
The Novel committee met last week and approved Firekeepers Daughter by Angeline Boulley for Grades 11-12, with parent permission in literature circles or student choice. They also approved Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley for grades 9-12. The committee will meet again in January.
The following novels/plays now have applications in the novel database: The Crucible, Macbeth, Fahrenheit 451, Fahrenheit 451 Graphic Novel, Julius Caesar, Julius Caesar (No Fear), and Lord of the Flies.
USBE Webinar Series Information
From USBE:
If you were unable to join us live for or would like to rewatch Dr. Deborah Dean’s webinar, “Besting the Grammar Beast,” you are now able to view the recording.
In the webinar, Dr. Dean refers to several resources plus I’ve included a few others listed below:
- Mentor Texts
- Article: “Teaching Grammar in Context”
- Article: “Teaching Grammar or Teaching Language?”
- Book: Revision Decisions
- NCTE Quick Reference Guide: Teaching Grammar in the Secondary Classroom
November’s webinar is on Monday, November 13, 4:00 – 5:00pm
Reading with Purpose: Selecting & Sequencing Texts to Support Critical Understanding With Dr. Lauren Liang, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Utah **Supports implementation of Reading Standards 6, 11, 12, 14
Learn about the “PURPOSEful Framework” for creating effective text sets. The goal of the framework is to aid educators in creating a purposeful, carefully curated text set where the individually selected books and sequenced arrangement work together to present an opportunity for students’ engagement in critical thinking and growth in both cognitive and affective realms. The PURPOSEful Framework includes six steps to curate and sequence the high-quality texts used in the set. The unique emphasis on sequencing is driven by the careful curation work that happens prior, and ultimately creates scaffolding for students’ deeper understanding of a specific content topic or area.
Earn 0.5 USBE Credit
If you are interested in receiving 0.5 USBE credits for your participation in the webinars, you will need to enroll in the Canvas course to complete the following tasks:
- Attend or view 7 webinars
- Complete reflections for each webinar
- Provide evidence of implementation of at least one instructional practice from the webinar series in your classroom or with educators you lead/coach
Podcast – Writing as Gate-Opening
In the latest 2 episodes of All Day ELA, Scott and I discuss a chapter from the book, Real World Writing for Secondary Students. The author outlines her process for incorporating writing laps, mini-lessons, and mentor texts to help students transfer the skills into their own writing. You can listen to the episodes on Spotify: Part 1 and Part 2
AI Tools for Teachers
Have you tried out Magic School? It is an AI platform designed for teachers. I think it is work checking out.
You can do so many things with it – they have 56 specific pre-programmed AI prompts. But here are a few that I think may be useful for an ELA teacher:
- create a choice board for student assignments,
- have AI give feedback on student writing based on your own rubric
- create a rubric
- take any text and adjust it to different reading levels
- create an email to parents and translate it into multiple languages
- generate text-dependent questions based on a text you input
- text proofreader tool
- text scaffolding tool that pulls out tier 2 and 3 vocabulary and defines them for students and includes guiding questions
- And for those of you who teach seniors – generate a letter of recommendation.
December RI Window
Looking ahead – the RI window opens December 4th and closes January 11th.
Out of the Office
And last, I will be out of the office until November 14th. If you need anything, please reach out to Scott Christensen or Jesse Hennefer.
October 2, 2023 Email
This email contains information about:
- FREADom to Read week from UELMA and ULA
- USBE Professional Development Series
- Recently approved Novels
- Upcoming Bite-sized PD: How to Support Your ML Students with Whole Class Novels
- A Halloween Poem
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FREADom to Read week from UELMA and ULA
October 1 – 7 is FREADom to Read Week (formally known as Banned Book Week). Please see the attached flyer, bookmarks, and document and the email below for more information.
For those of you who do journals, you could use the following prompt: Describe your reading life. Has it changed as you’ve gotten older? How do you see your reading life in the future?
Canyons will be talking about this prompt in videos and in a podcast coming out this week.
USBE Professional Development Series
USBE is hosting a 7 part Secondary ELA Professional Learning Webinar Series this year. The first session is on October 17th on – Besting the Grammar Beast – given by Deborah Dean – yes, that Deborah Dean who has written and published several books about writing and grammar instruction. Register using the link above.
Recently Approved Novels
New applications approved: All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely and How Angel Peterson Got His Name by Gary Paulsen.
Novel database cleanup project – these plays now have applications: Hamlet, Hamlet No Fear, Romeo and Juliet, and Romeo and Juliet No Fear.
- If you would like a graphic novel of these plays approved, please email me and let me know the version you would like to see approved.
Upcoming Bite-sized PD: How to Support Your ML Students with Whole Class Novels
On October 18th at 4:00 pm, Amy Gutierrez (ML Specialist) and I will be presenting a Bite-sized PD on how to support your ML students when reading novels. Now, I know you will probably be on your way out because it is Fall Break. But when you get back, you’ll be able to watch the PD on the Bite-Sized PD Page.
September 19, 2023 Email
This email contains information about:
- Early Out on Friday, September 22nd – 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm
- Kelly Gallagher Webinar opportunity
Early Out Information
Thank you for your patience as we have worked with schools to get confirmations of meeting locations. We will be meeting at Hillcrest High School in the Presentation Room – A115 at 1:45 pm.
The bulk of the time will be spent on vertical coherence within the standards, so please bring a device to work on.
Agenda
1:45 – Announcements/Updates
- Novel Database Cleanup Survey
- Singleton PLCs
2:00 – Unpacking Standards – Vertical Alignment
- Break into Schools to do Vertical Alignment *Resource and co-teachers attend with your school
- Alta – A209
- Brighton – A211
- Corner Canyon – A213
- Hillcrest – A215
- Jordan and Diamond Ridge – A218
- SPED ACC and ECC – A216
2:50 – Return to Presentation room for Prizes and exit survey
Kelly Gallagher Webinar Opportunity
Kelly Gallagher will be doing a webinar with California State this Thursday evening (shout-out to Michelle Ritter for sharing this information!). If you are interested in attending, the registration information is on this page.
September 12, 2023 Email
This email contains information about the following:
- News Literacy Project Webinar Series
- Newsela Units
- High School ELA Early Out
- Copyleaks Plagiarism Bite-Sized PD Training
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- News Literacy Project Webinar Series:
The News Literacy Project has partnered with USBE to deliver an 8-part Webinar Series. You can attend 1 or all. For more information and to register see attached informational flyer or visit bit.ly/UtahNLP I’ll be doing Q&A for the first webinar this Thursday.
2. Newsela Novel Units:
Last year I was able to work closely with Newsela and give feedback. Many don’t know that they have ELA specific units tied to novels. I worked with them to get more units created that include texts taught at our high schools. Here are just a few units they have – be sure to check out the Implementation Guides in the right sidebar.
- The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
- Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
- A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
- Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley – for those in our book club, and I’ll be submitting it to the Novel selection committee this month.
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
- The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
And many more … I’ll be adding all of them to the HS ELA Canvas Sandbox.
Check out the full list by author with these links – be sure to login through Canvas so that you are in your PRO Accounts.
- Novel and Book Studies, Authors A-F
- Novel and Book Studies, Authors G-L
- Novel and Book Studies, Authors M-S
- Novel and Book Studies, Authors T-Z
3. High School ELA Early Out. The high school Principals have met and agreed to have 3 common early out PLC meetings for High School ELA. The first one will be September 22nd. I’ll send out an invite next Monday.
4. Copyleaks Plagiarism Bite-Sized PD Training. Copyleaks Plagiarism software should soon be installed in Canvas. This Wednesday, there will be Wednesday, Sept. 13 @ 4:00 PM – Copyleaks: The New Plagiarism Checker w/AI Detection in Canvas.
To join a Bite-Sized PD session use this Zoom link and the access code is canyonsu. As a reminder, each Bite-Sized PD is recorded and posted on the Bite-Sized PD webpage, and even if you don’t watch live you are still eligible for relicensure credit. To receive credit complete the 2023-2024: Canyons U Bite Sized PD form in order to have the relicensure credits added to your Midas transcript.
September 1, 2023 Email
Dear High School ELA Teachers,
This email contains information about:
- District Day Wrap Up (Information)
- Draftback (Tech Tool)
- QSSSA (ML Strategy)
- Read a Book Day – September 6th (Request)
- Canyon’s Freedom to Read Week – October 1-7 (Information)
1. District Day Wrap Up
Scott and I recorded our first podcast for All Day ELA, Season 2 where we discussed the feedback from District Day. You can listen here. Also, if you go to the Sandbox course under District Day Resources you can find the pictures from the Unpacked Standards and the crowdsourcing of ideas for the Writing Framework.
2. Draftback
I recently learned of a Google Chrome extension called Draftback from the September issue of Educational Leadership. “It turns a [Google] document’s revision history into a video that can be played at controllable speeds. When we watch it, we can actually see a student’s every keystroke on a document. Draftback also provides a detailed breakdown of the document’s history that includes the overall number of revisions, the number of distinct writing session, the time and duration of each of those writing sessions, and which user made them” (Kay 77)
I think this could help with focusing on the process of writing, rather than the product of writing. I’ve made a short video demo of the tool.
3. QSSSA – ML Students.
A quick reminder that our ML students often need an increase in wait time to process what you said in English, think in their native language, and respond in English. This applies to speaking as well as writing. I know that I have not always given students long enough wait time and in the silence I worried that the student didn’t understand me, didn’t know the answer, and was embarrassed. And so, I answered for them, moved on, or continued to talk or ask questions introducing new language they needed time to think through.
My suggestion is to use a strategy called QSSSA to scaffold classroom discussions with MLs. The letters stand for Question (the teacher poses a question, then gives ample think time); Signal (a designated motion like a thumbs-up, a finger on the nose—something that lets students indicate that they’re ready to answer); Stem (the teacher provides a sentence starter for the question—for example, for “What is your favorite place to read a book?” the stem might be, “My favorite place to read a book is _____”); Share; and Assess.
4. Read a Book Day – September 6th!
Did you know it was Read a Book Day on the 6th? The district media specialist is asking that we take pictures of students reading and please email them to me. They can be reading any day – not just on September 6th. We want to share on our social media and communication channels our students reading. If you don’t want to show student faces, here are 2 examples from Tyson Swasey’s class Book Tasting (read more about this activity on Instagram).
5. Freedom to Read Week – October 1-7
Formally known as Banned Book Week, Canyons School District will be celebrating Freedom to Read Week (as CSD is now calling it). Let’s celebrate our right to read information, literature, poetry, comics, and news. I’m working with the District Librarian on activities and resources for you to use in class. If you are looking for something specifically, please let me know. If you have amazing ideas – PLEASE SHARE!
August 17, 2023 Email
This email contains the following information:
- Follow-up from District Day
- Instructional Guides for those absent
- Resources from Dr. Wilhelm’s Presentation at District Day
- Information about the Reading Inventory Fall Testing
Follow-Up from District Day
Thank you for your enthusiasm and support at District Day. I will add to the HS ELA Sandbox course the Unpacked Standards Posters you worked on and the crowdsourcing of ideas on the Writing Framework. If you are not already part of the course, I plan on adding everyone by the end of today, so look for the invite in Canvas.
Instructional Guides
If you were not able to attend district day (absent or in another content area meeting), please email and let me know so that I can send you the Instructional Guides in District mail. For our Resource/Cotaught SPED teachers, your instructional guides are already in district mail.
Resources from Dr. Wilhelm’s Presentation
I have linked on the HS webpage – https://canyonsdistrict.org/hs_ela the resources from Dr. Wilhelm – he sent us his slideshow and 4 handouts. It is in the sidebar, under District Day. I will also put these in the Announcements/emails as well as in the HS ELA Sandbox.
- Link to Slides (ELA)
- Handout – Unpacking Standards
- Jeff Wilhelm’s Presentation Slides
- Dr. Wilhelm’s handouts are below:
Reading Inventory – August 22-September 23
The Fall Reading Inventory testing window is August 22 – September 23
- The Reading Inventory is not a timed exam but does adapt to student responses. This may mean that some students finish in 20 minutes, while other students take much longer. Students who are in Literacy (Reading) or ELD should take the RI in those classes, rather than ELA.
- Attached are the Reading Inventory Student Directions to read for students before testing
- Reading Inventory Accommodations are also attached. Please make sure that student’s IEP, 504, and EL accommodations are being used in class and on these tests. Some of the accommodations that are allowed for these tests include an alternate location, frequent breaks, extended time (these are not timed tests), and minimized distractions.
Relevance of the Reading Inventory PPT to show students
- In order to help students understand the relevance of the Reading Inventory and the Lexile score beyond the classroom, I have created this PPT that you can choose to show your students before testing. It goes through what Lexile would be needed for entry-level careers.
Click here to make a copy of the slides
August 10, 2023 Email
District Day Information
Secondary ELA District Day will be Wednesday, August 16th – 8:00 am to 12:00 pm. We will be meeting in the Brighton High School Auditorium. Jeff Wilhelm will be our guest speaker. Jeff is the author of Engaging Readers and Writers with Inquiry (as well as many other books). He will be presenting on how teachers can use inquiry in the classroom to build engagement and relevance. Then we will focus on Writing Framework and dive deeper into the new standards. Can’t wait to see you again!
New ELA Standards document and feedback
USBE has published the final version of the new ELA Standards and the Core Guides. If you would like to give feedback on the Core Guides, please click on the following links. In the directions to the surveys, they have the new standards and the Core Guides. Feedback is due August 30th.
New Resources: Instructional Guide, Website, Canvas Sandbox
Over the summer I created several new resources for you:
- Instructional Guide – Here are the links to the new Instructional Guides. High School ELA or Brighton High School ELA We have asked that they be printed, but I haven’t gotten them back from the printer as of today. So, let’s hope they are done by district day.
- I have created a High School ELA Website for you. Please let me know what else you would like on the page.
- High School ELA Sandbox – Our sandbox has resources, unit and text suggestions, is a place you can add modules or lessons for other teachers. Enroll Here and I will make you a designer in the course, so you can add materials. I will be continuing to add to it, so please feel free to do so as well.
Late Summer
By Jennifer Grotz
Before the moths have even appeared
to orbit around them, the streetlamps come on,
a long row of them glowing uselessly
along the ring of garden that circles the city center,
where your steps count down the dulling of daylight.
At your feet, a bee crawls in small circles like a toy unwinding.
Summer specializes in time, slows it down almost to dream.
And the noisy day goes so quiet you can hear
the bedraggled man who visits each trash receptacle
mutter in disbelief: Everything in the world is being thrown away!
Summer lingers, but it’s about ending. It’s about how things
redden and ripen and burst and come down. It’s when
city workers cut down trees, demolishing
one limb at a time, spilling the crumbs
of twigs and leaves all over the tablecloth of street.
Sunglasses! the man softly exclaims
while beside him blooms a large gray rose of pigeons
huddled around a dropped piece of bread.
Today
If ever there were a spring day so perfect,
so uplifted by a warm intermittent breeze
that it made you want to throw
open all the windows in the house
and unlatch the door to the canary’s cage,
indeed, rip the little door from its jamb,
a day when the cool brick paths
and the garden bursting with peonies
seemed so etched in sunlight
that you felt like taking
a hammer to the glass paperweight
on the living room end table,
releasing the inhabitants
from their snow-covered cottage
so they could walk out,
holding hands and squinting
into this larger dome of blue and white,
well, today is just that kind of day.
By Billy Collins
March (haikus)
Sky a shook poncho.
Roof wrung. Mind a luna moth
Caught in a banjo.
This weather’s witty
Peek-a-boo. A study in
Insincerity.
Blues! Blooms! The yodel
Of the chimney in night wind.
That flat daffodil.
With absurd hauteur
New tulips dab their shadows
In water-mutter.
Boys are such oxen.
Girls! — sepal-shudder, shadow-
Waver. Equinox.
Plums on the Quad did
Blossom all at once, taking
Down the power grid.
By Richard Kenney
[little tree]
little tree
little silent Christmas tree
you are so little
you are more like a flower
who found you in the green forest
and were you very sorry to come away?
see i will comfort you
because you smell so sweetly
i will kiss your cool bark
and hug you safe and tight
just as your mother would,
only don’t be afraid
look the spangles
that sleep all the year in a dark box
dreaming of being taken out and
allowed to shine,
the balls the chains red and gold the
fluffy threads,
put up your little arms
and i’ll give them all to you to hold
every finger shall have its ring
and there won’t be a single place dark
or unhappy
then when you’re quite dressed
you’ll stand in the window for everyone
to see
and how they’ll stare!
oh but you’ll be very proud
and my little sister and i will take hands
and looking up at our beautiful tree
we’ll dance and sing
“Noel Noel”
by E. E. Cummings
I was recently in Shane Roger’s classroom as they were reading “The Masque of the Red Death” and doing an escape room (how fitting – ha!). And it reminded me of another Edgar Allan Poe poem, which I think is a companion poem to that short story. In my mind, the poem takes place after the Red Death has swept through Prince Prospero’s Palace. Enjoy!
The Haunted Place
In the greenest of our valleys
By good angels tenanted,
Once a fair and stately palace—
Radiant palace—reared its head.
In the monarch Thought’s dominion,
It stood there!
Never seraph spread a pinion
Over fabric half so fair!
Banners yellow, glorious, golden,
On its roof did float and flow
(This—all this—was in the olden
Time long ago)
And every gentle air that dallied,
In that sweet day,
Along the ramparts plumed and pallid,
A wingèd odor went away.
Wanderers in that happy valley,
Through two luminous windows, saw
Spirits moving musically
To a lute’s well-tunèd law,
Round about a throne where, sitting,
Porphyrogene!
In state his glory well befitting,
The ruler of the realm was seen.
And all with pearl and ruby glowing
Was the fair palace door,
Through which came flowing, flowing, flowing
And sparkling evermore,
A troop of Echoes, whose sweet duty
Was but to sing,
In voices of surpassing beauty,
The wit and wisdom of their king.
But evil things, in robes of sorrow,
Assailed the monarch’s high estate;
(Ah, let us mourn!—for never morrow
Shall dawn upon him, desolate!)
And round about his home the glory
That blushed and bloomed
Is but a dim-remembered story
Of the old time entombed.
And travellers, now, within that valley,
Through the red-litten windows see
Vast forms that move fantastically
To a discordant melody;
While, like a ghastly rapid river,
Through the pale door
A hideous throng rush out forever,
And laugh—but smile no more.
September Midnight
Lyric night of the lingering Indian Summer,
Shadowy fields that are scentless but full of singing,
Never a bird, but the passionless chant of insects,
Ceaseless, insistent.
The grasshopper’s horn, and far-off, high in the maples,
The wheel of a locust leisurely grinding the silence
Under a moon waning and worn, broken,
Tired with summer.
Let me remember you, voices of little insects,
Weeds in the moonlight, fields that are tangled with asters,
Let me remember, soon will the winter be on us,
Snow-hushed and heavy.
Over my soul murmur your mute benediction,
While I gaze, O fields that rest after harvest,
As those who part look long in the eyes they lean to,
Lest they forget them.
By Sara Teasdale
Originally published in Poetry, March 1914.
Autumn Fires
In the other gardens
And all up in the vale,
From the autumn bonfires
See the smoke trail!
Pleasant summer over,
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
The grey smoke towers.
Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all!
Flowers in the summer,
Fires in the fall!
By Robert Louis Stevenson
Midsummer, Tobago
Broad sun-stoned beaches.
White heat.
A green river.
A bridge,
scorched yellow palms
from the summer-sleeping house
drowsing through August.
Days I have held,
days I have lost,
days that outgrow, like daughters,
my harbouring arms.
By Derek Walcott
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